CMLC supports Muddy Sneakers with grant

Published: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 5:43 p.m.

A grant awarded to Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy will help support the outdoor-based curriculum provided by Muddy Sneakers in Henderson County elementary schools.

The grant provides $4,000 to fund Muddy Sneakers expeditions at Edneyville Elementary and The Mountain Community School in Hendersonville.

Muddy Sneakers provides field-based experiential education to fifth-grade students at public schools across Western North Carolina. The program’s mission is to awaken in children a deeply felt connection with the natural world, one that inspires curiosity, stimulates learning, and brings new life to classroom performance.

Founded by CMLC-conservation landowner Sandy Schenck, Muddy Sneakers is now in its fifth year of programming, serving 16 schools across five WNC school districts. Muddy Sneakers has developed curriculum for expeditions at the CMLC-conserved Green River Preserve and CMLC-owned Florence Nature Preserve properties.

“Muddy Sneakers cannot begin to express our gratitude to CMLC for securing this significant funding,” said the organization’s new executive director, Ryan Olson. “This funding is precedent in our continued partnership and shows an incredible commitment by CMLC to support education that directly ties into creating the next generation of conservationists.”

The grant was awarded by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation through the Conservation Trust for North Carolina. In the last eight years, CTNC has directed more than $10 million of private and public funding to local land trusts in North Carolina.

CMLC protects land to benefit the quality of life of residents and visitors in Henderson, Transylvania, Polk, and surrounding counties. Since 1994, the land trust has protected more than 23,000 acres of natural lands in our mountains. For more information, visit www.carolinamountain.org.

<p>A grant awarded to Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy will help support the outdoor-based curriculum provided by Muddy Sneakers in Henderson County elementary schools. </p><p>The grant provides $4,000 to fund Muddy Sneakers expeditions at Edneyville Elementary and The Mountain Community School in Hendersonville.</p><p>Muddy Sneakers provides field-based experiential education to fifth-grade students at public schools across Western North Carolina. The program's mission is to awaken in children a deeply felt connection with the natural world, one that inspires curiosity, stimulates learning, and brings new life to classroom performance. </p><p>Founded by CMLC-conservation landowner Sandy Schenck, Muddy Sneakers is now in its fifth year of programming, serving 16 schools across five WNC school districts. Muddy Sneakers has developed curriculum for expeditions at the CMLC-conserved Green River Preserve and CMLC-owned Florence Nature Preserve properties.</p><p>“Muddy Sneakers cannot begin to express our gratitude to CMLC for securing this significant funding,” said the organization's new executive director, Ryan Olson. “This funding is precedent in our continued partnership and shows an incredible commitment by CMLC to support education that directly ties into creating the next generation of conservationists.”</p><p>The grant was awarded by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation through the Conservation Trust for North Carolina. In the last eight years, CTNC has directed more than $10 million of private and public funding to local land trusts in North Carolina.</p><p>CMLC protects land to benefit the quality of life of residents and visitors in Henderson, Transylvania, Polk, and surrounding counties. Since 1994, the land trust has protected more than 23,000 acres of natural lands in our mountains. For more information, visit www.carolinamountain.org.</p>